(The Center Square) – Minnesota Democrats and Republicans are gathering today to begin their official state party conventions, which will continue through the weekend.
Almost all of the major 2026 election candidates will head to these conventions in hopes of raising enough support from delegates to receive party endorsements.
This week though, U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minnesota, announced she would be bypassing the Democratic-Farmer-Labor endorsement process to focus on the August primary.
Running for Minnesota’s open U.S. Senate seat, created by U.S. Sen. Tina Smith’s decision not to seek reelection, Craig has argued the party’s endorsement process does not reflect voters’ intentions.
“This afternoon, I filed to run in the Aug. 11 Democratic primary for United States Senate and I will forgo the DFL state convention this weekend,” Craig said on Wednesday. “I’m running because I’m ready for this fight – now let’s go win it!”
Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan is the other major Democrat candidate in the race. Her campaign said this decision shows Craig knew she wasn’t going to receive the party’s endorsement.
“No matter what she says about the process, Congresswoman Craig spent months aggressively competing for this endorsement because she understood how significant it is,” said Flanagan campaign spokesperson Lexi Byler. “But despite four months of organizing, campaigning, and nearly $3 million in outside spending . . . DFLers overwhelmingly consolidated behind Peggy Flanagan.”
Byler said polling has backed that assumption, with recent polling showing Flanagan leading Craig by anywhere from 3% – 11%.
“Peggy not only dominated the endorsement process, but is also leading Congresswoman Craig by double digits in multiple recent public polls of the race,” she said. “It’s clear that Peggy Flanagan is the consensus candidate.”
Craig disagrees with that assessment, instead accusing Flanagan of dodging debates and “not showing up to work” for Minnesotans.
“I asked the Lt. Governor to debate me two times before the DFL convention in May and once after because all voters, not just those in her safe spaces, deserve to hear from us,” Craig said in April. “I hope we’ve learned as a party that debates with one another make us stronger and are an important tool to help us assess who is best to put forward and beat Republicans.”
The DFL endorsement is influential, but candidates can still compete in the primary without it.
On the Republican side, former sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya is maintaining a steady lead over other candidates of as much as 43% in polling. She said she is looking forward to this weekend’s convention.
“The momentum is building and we’re excited to be on the ground meeting as many people as possible in the coming days,” Tafoya said on Thursday. “Let’s save Minnesota!”
Gubernatorial candidates from both sides of the aisle will also be vying for their party’s endorsements.
On the Republican side, it is still a crowded field. At the party caucus in February, House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, led the straw polling followed by businessman Kendall Qualls and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell.
Democrats have largely rallied around U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who received nearly 80% of the votes during her party’s February caucus.
The primary is Aug. 11, followed by the general election Nov. 3.
